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Post Mortem

Christianity is a non-religion faith

By Nagaland Post | Publish Date: 4/17/2019 12:28:06 PM IST

Christianity which is a non-religion or religion-less faith is termed as a religion by historical mistake. Religions are founded by men and their founders. Religious founders once taught their doctrines, died and buried, and there is no further story about their resurrection. They reappeared no more. Human religions are formed and formulated by causes and reasons such as fear, ceremonialism, speculation, mysterious worldview, imaginative psychology, ritualism, superstitious belief, and sacrifice and offering to avert fear or invoke blessing. The faith of the Christians does not belong to a religious category as such.

How Christianity became a World Religion? Fundamentally and biblically, Christians do not belong to any world religion. But Christianity becoming a religion was coined in AD313 when the Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity as official state religion and subsequently reaffirmed by the Emperor Theodosius 1 in AD380 as a legalized state religion. But sadly, in process, Christianity was tarnished with syncretism and interwoven with elements of paganism. Since then the Christians are categorically and inappropriately known as people of a religion today, regrettably.

Origin of the name ‘Christians’: Christians were named and labeled by people outside of Christian circle as they observed and saw uniqueness in those who followed Jesus Christ and believed what he told them. In Antioch city (Syria), public society recognized them as the followers of the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6). They were first called ‘Christians’ (Acts 11:26), and later recognized by the king Agrippa who was not a follower (26:28). They were simple and ordinary people but followed the Lord’s teaching. Jesus did not give a new religion or nomenclature but he referred to ‘loving each other’ by which the world would know and recognize them (John 13:34,35). They suffered persecution (1Pet 4:16). But persecution, rather, became a fuel and flame of their increase and movement worldwide. Mathematically Christians are the people of or parts of Christ (Christ+ians=100% allegiance in Christ). Thus, Christ is the origin of the Christians.

Who are the Christians? Religions deify and objectify their founders and worship them as gods or goddesses. The Christians do not idolize any human leader or natural object for worship. They directly relate to the living God, the universal Creator. God is also attributed as the Father. The Lord Jesus did not create a new religion for us to adhere to. He came to show the world the way to eternal life (John 3:16) without referring to Judaism. He called the world to repentance. Christians worship God who is the Savior and the Spirit. The hearts of Christians connect with God, not through ritual formula or mechanically mysterious process. Christians worship God, thank God, and pray to God for others as well. Christians are the holy people of the world.

Christians are not anti-national or sectarian people. They intercede for the world, leaders, and all people. They are optimistic people, keeping their faith in God. Christian faith is based on the Bible, not a foreign or imported religion. Mahatma Gandhi, the national father of India and an international political veteran, had a great regard for the Bible, specially the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ with special reference to his discourse on the mount, about the blessed people (Matt 5:1-10). The Bible and Christian mission had played a great role in transformation of India as other nations. No human constitution or institution can go against a faith that is directly related to the Creator of the nations and universe. By 2050, Christian faith will constitute more than half of the world’s population. Nothing can go against a non-religion as nothing can go against the truth. It is the spiritual truth the world waited for.

Christians pray to God. God hears their prayer and sustains the world. He supplies His blessings to the world, both Christians and other faiths. He keeps human governments running. He supplies natural and human resources to continue the subsistence of the world. Astronomical, physical and geologic creations are all His handwork. Christians pray for peace of the world, harmony of humanity, the leaders of the world, national leaders, heads of governments, politicians and bureaucrats, public society, children and students, youth, and poor and needy. We are unaware spectacularly but God answers the prayers.

The Bible is the faith book of the Christians. They learn from the book how to be good citizens in human society like salt and light (Matt 5:13,14). Truthfulness, faithfulness and honesty, and dignity of work are their characteristics though there are black sheep, naturally. The life a Christian makes is a journey towards eternal Heaven. Entry to Heaven is based on one’s relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no secret about it. And it is the fact that draws the world to follow Jesus Christ. Of course, the difference is at the end of the journey.

Who are the People of Non-Religion? All who directly relate to God, the Creator, are the people of non-religion. They worship the eternal God. They know that idolatry is a worship of the creation of God or man-made. God is against idolatry. In clear sense, people of any religion who acknowledge that there is God who created the universe and regulates it, and has provided a way for human salvation are people of non-religion. These people may be Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and other faiths. The Bible says that God who created the universe and everything therein does not live in a building made by hands of man (Acts 17:24). God loves the world that He made a way for the world to be saved though Christ. Our world is going to be a place of non-religion eventually.

Therefore, Christian mission is a proclamation of true spiritual faith in obedience to what Jesus Christ commanded them, not a volition. It is not a propaganda of an imported or foreign religion. Christian faith stands for the truth against proselytization and inducement. Its mission, in process, promotes human dignity, human right and freedom. People come to him by change of their own allegiance. ‘Never give up your faith in the true God’ is its slogan. Because the world must know the truth.